Assessing readiness for transition from paediatric to adult health care: Revision and psychometric evaluation of the Am I ON TRAC for Adult Care questionnaire.

Aim: To refine and psychometrically test the Am I ON TRAC for Adult Care questionnaire.

Background: Inadequate transition to adult care for adolescents with special healthcare needs has been associated with greater risk of treatment non-adherence, lack of medical follow-up, increased morbidity and mortality. Presently, there are no well-validated measures assessing adolescents' readiness to transition from paediatric to adult medical care.

Evaluation of a multidimensional cystic fibrosis transition program: a quality improvement initiative.

The adequate preparation of cystic fibrosis (CF) youth for the transfer from pediatric to adult-based health care services is essential to meet the needs of this changing population. This paper describes the evolution of a transition clinic for patients with CF into a multidimensional quality improvement transition initiative. Three transition interventions (a patient transition clinical pathway; collaboration with the adult clinic; and a tool to measure transfer readiness) were sequentially implemented and evaluated.

Co-Creation With TickiT: Designing and Evaluating a Clinical eHealth Platform for Youth.

Background: All youth are susceptible to mental health issues and engaging in risky behavior, and for youth with chronic health conditions, the consequences can be more significant than in their healthy peers. Standardized paper-based questionnaires are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics in community practice to screen for health risks. In hospitals, psychosocial screening is traditionally undertaken using the Home Education, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Depression, Sex, Safety (HEEADDSS) interview.

The ON TRAC model for transitional care of adolescents.

This article describes the framework and clinical pathway for ON TRAC (Taking Responsibility for Adolescent/Adult Care), a model of transition care for adolescents with chronic health conditions, as applied to pediatric transplant transition. This model was developed in 1998 at Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia; it provides a multidisciplinary approach to developmentally appropriate transition planning and skill building. The model is youth focused and family centered, and includes stages of transition care on the basis of the developmental stages and capabilities of adolescents.